Mario will be 22 on 12th August. Looks like he will still be with us. He is getting to an age where the likes of Sergio, Messi etc became world class and delivered on early promise. The ' he is just a kid ' description still being used in the Euro's has had its day. It could be that if Dzeko goes and is replaced Mario will find it tough to get a start. So Bluemooners, on the pitch, what will it take for Mario to take the next step?

If he cant control himself, and keeps gettin stupid yellowes, stupid red cards and suspensions, then his game time will be even more limited.

Last year we had Agüero, Dzeko, Balotelli, and Tevez for about 2 months.

Imagine if we have Agüero, RVP, balotelli and Tevez without Tevez going on golf tour. (Or Agüero, RVP, Balo, Dzeko if we sell Tevez.)

Rotation will be very hard, and Tevez made it easier with his golfing for Mancini. It gave lot more playing time to Agüero, Dzeko and Balotelli. Bringing in another top class striker like RVP and we face more rotation problem than last year.

With this, if Balo will be a liability with his antics on the field, Mancini will have 3 other strikers to play. (He had only two last year with Tevez out for big part of the season.)

He did well in the Euros, kept his discipline, it was good to see, but he needs to mature faster because he cant let down the team in the league or in the CL.

He knows the refs are targeting him, he should be a lot clever this year.

Score goals !

benchwarm to RVP

Although Mario is petulant at times I do feel sorry for him, he had a really good Euro tournament because everything was going his way, the refs being very lenient with him was a major factor in this, the refs over here don't give him the rub of the green on most occasions if he makes a miss timed tackle he's in the book even if its his first offence, if he goes down when being pulled by a defender he's told to get back up then the vise versa happens and he's penalised and concedes a free kick.

I do find him frustrating at times but he's proven that when the refs aren't having one of those "its Mario" days and assume everything he does is dirty/diving and they actually treat him like any other player in the Prem he actually plays on top form, but if like I said he doesn't get the rub of the green he becomes greatly frustrated does something daft which then pisses us off.

The stage has been set for him. Whether he takes the stage and performs? Up to him.

He has the ability to do and be whatever he wants. Let's hope he decides for the best!

I have yet to work out what his best position is. I felt he transformed the QPR match and had a good Euro s but what is he truely capable of?

I think it was telling when Graham Poll admitted that refs would target the like of Mario to 'manage' the player. Will not help Mario's sense of injustice in the world. Still, if Rooney can go a season with only one booking I guess anything is possible......;-)

IMO he is fantastic as a target man. If he gets quality passes to feet he can hold up the ball
and bring others into the attack. He also gets in the six yard box at the right time. Out wide he's ok but it should be kept to a minimum. I actually think he could be worth building a team around. Silva and Nasri should have to compete with Augero, Tevez and Yaya in his advanced role. Upgrading Barry, Dejong, Milner is critical but difficult. Anyway I think Baloyelli is potentially all round better than all our strikers as a pure center forward.

....................Hart
Richards Kompany Lescott Kolorov
...............Barry Dejong
.....Tevez ......Yaya .......Aguero
.................Balotelli